out. You haf
pairhaps had too many tell you 'I loaf you'--you care not any more. I
haf travel dthe vorld ofer, many beautiful and clevair vomans haf loaf
me. I haf seen nefer a voman like you for not to care. Efery body loaf
you, you loaf nobody, and vhen a man say 'You air charmante,' you say
'Vill ve feeshe to-day?' If a man say 'You haf eyes wie die Sternen im
Himmel' you ask 'Hear you dthose bells of San Blas?' and vhen a man
say 'I loaf you to deestraction' you tell him 'I do so like dthose
qveer Megsican Eendians.'" The Baron strikes the pavement violently
with his stick. "Vill you marry von qveer Megsican Eendian, Senorita?"
I laugh at the funny conclusion and the Peruvian's excited face.

"Monsieur," I say, "I'm told that nearly every man says 'I love you'
to an average of eighteen women in a lifetime; he perhaps really cares
at various times for three, and the rest do well to let the mistake
pass unchallenged and soon forgotten. I am not especially
strong-minded myself, and I don't object to your talking a little
nonsense, for I find you very entertaining; but I won't deceive you
so far as to let you think I believe you."

A low volley of French so quick and excited that I cannot follow it is
the Peruvian's reply. I am a little bit uneasy at the look in his
face; the glow of ruddy health runs out like a fast-ebbing tide, and
although I have not understood his French, with the intuition of my
sex I comprehend his face, and I look around for the rest of the
party. He catches the glance and seems to struggle for self-control.

"Senorita, take my arm; ve shall valk. I vill hope to teach Senorita
zome day dthat Peruvians air no liars."

"Ah, Baron," I say deprecatingly, "I never meant that, you didn't
understand me--I----"

"No," he interrupts--"I know dthat often I understand you not and
zometimes it ees my so bad Eenglish dthat ees to blame. If I could
tell you all in Spanish you _must_ believe," and before all the people
in the Plaza he lifts the hand that lies on his arm and kisses it.

I flash a horrified look around, but no one seems to have noticed.

"Like you dthe Spanish tongue?" he asks quite unconcerned.

"Yes, very much," I say, glad to get him on some impersonal subject,
"it is the most musical in the world, I believe."

"You vould soon learn it," he says, "you understand many words now, I
know by your face. Can you say my name, I vondair; try! Federico
Guillermo."

"Federico Guillermo," I